Adventure Nomad

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Bike Touring Vietnam: Photography

Road Rules of highway 1, Vietnam:Rule #1: Right of way belongs to the ‘King of the Road’; everyone else, get out of the way.Rule #2: To exercise Rule #1, you have to sound your horn. Therefore, the louder the horn, the stronger that right.Rule #3: Everyone is ‘King of the Road’.

Small towns and villages line Highway 1, and traffic can become chaotic as you approach and make your way through those towns. Earplugs and facemasks are highly recommended. Away from the large towns though, and riding Highway 1 can be quite pleasant, especially along the coast.

When riding, I found it difficult to want to stop to take a picture. It disrupts the rhythm and flow. Because it was so heavily urbanized, I’d worry about losing the bike if I wanted to ditch it and run somewhere with camera in hand. The best shots I’ve taken on this tour were in the early morning or evening when I wasn’t riding.

I brought my Nikon D300, 18-200mm and 12-24mm lenses, and I found that combination near perfect. I’ll probably replace the 12-24mm with Nikon’s new wider 10-24mm lens, and add a remote shutter release so that I can attach the camera to my body and trigger the camera remotely for some action shots while riding. Some kind of camera support would be nice too, and I may consider adding a really light monopod to the kit.

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About me

I'm an amateur photographer and filmmaker that quit my job as an airline pilot to pursue a life of full-time adventure. I hope this blog can give you some ideas, motivate or help you along the path to your own adventures, and to bring back better images - but please keep in mind that the opinions expressed within this blog are my own, and while I do my best to provide accurate information, I urge you to use your discretion, and check all facts, before using any information presented in this blog.